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= THE GLASS FACTORY. =
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¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~† SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST †~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~ BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨- THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY -¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~† SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN †~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†= STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. =†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£ FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR £=†~-¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨-~†=££ THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ££=†~-¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨-~†=£££ AND A GIFT SHOP. £££=†~-¨¨¨
¨¨-~†=£££# #£££=†~-¨¨
¨-~†=£££## THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ##£££=†~-¨
¨¨-~†=£££# MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE #£££=†~-¨¨
¨¨¨-~†=£££ CONSIDERED POOR. £££=†~-¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨-~†=££ ££=†~-¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£ THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, £=†~-¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†= DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN =†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~† YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, †~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~ REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨- CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND -¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~ LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~† PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, †~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†= SOME ARE SHATTERED. =†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£ £=†~-¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨-~†=££ THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ££=†~-¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨-~†=£££ A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT £££=†~-¨¨¨
¨¨-~†=£££# GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. #£££=†~-¨¨
¨-~†=£££## VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ##£££=†~-¨
¨¨-~†=£££# TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF #£££=†~-¨¨
¨¨¨-~†=£££ GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. £££=†~-¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨-~†=££ ££=†~-¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£ == £=†~-¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†= == == =†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~† ~~~~~~~ = = ~~~~~~~ †~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~ == == ~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨- == -¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~ ~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~† I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE †~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†= OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS =†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£ OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD £=†~-¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨-~†=££ DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ££=†~-¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨-~†=£££ BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF £££=†~-¨¨¨
¨¨-~†=£££# DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO #£££=†~-¨¨
¨-~†=£££## ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ##£££=†~-¨
¨¨-~†=£££# LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK #£££=†~-¨¨
¨¨¨-~†=£££ WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. £££=†~-¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨-~†=££ ££=†~-¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£ HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE £=†~-¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†= HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. =†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~† IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY †~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~ INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨- IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM -¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~ WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~† OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. †~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†= =†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£ THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT £=†~-¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨-~†=££ HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ££=†~-¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨-~†=£££ LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND £££=†~-¨¨¨
¨¨-~†=£££# TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST #£££=†~-¨¨
¨-~†=£££## A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ##£££=†~-¨
¨¨-~†=£££# STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE #£££=†~-¨¨
¨¨¨-~†=£££ BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN £££=†~-¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨-~†=££ ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ££=†~-¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£ LIT FROM BEHIND. £=†~-¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†= =†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~† I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT †~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~ THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨- WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S -¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~ LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~† ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, †~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†= AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE =†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£ OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. £=†~-¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨-~†=££ ££=†~-¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨-~†=£££ == £££=†~-¨¨¨
¨¨-~†=£££# == == #£££=†~-¨¨
¨-~†=£££## ~~~~~~~ = = ~~~~~~~ ##£££=†~-¨
¨¨-~†=£££# == == #£££=†~-¨¨
¨¨¨-~†=£££ == £££=†~-¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨-~†=££ ££=†~-¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£ MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE £=†~-¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†= STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET =†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~† IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, †~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~ IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨- IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN -¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~ DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~† CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO †~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†= SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND =†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£ PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. £=†~-¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨-~†=££ ££=†~-¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨-~†=£££ THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT £££=†~-¨¨¨
¨¨-~†=£££# THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE #£££=†~-¨¨
¨-~†=£££## THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ##£££=†~-¨
¨¨-~†=£££# A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS #£££=†~-¨¨
¨¨¨-~†=£££ SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING £££=†~-¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨-~†=££ HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ££=†~-¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£ SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO £=†~-¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†= THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. =†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~† IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL †~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~ CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨- ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. -¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~ ~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~† THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, †~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†= WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND =†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£ CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS £=†~-¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨-~†=££ BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ££=†~-¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨-~†=£££ FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE £££=†~-¨¨¨
¨¨-~†=£££# BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING #£££=†~-¨¨
¨-~†=£££## DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ##£££=†~-¨
¨¨-~†=£££# TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS #£££=†~-¨¨
¨¨¨-~†=£££ DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY £££=†~-¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨-~†=££ FLOOR. ££=†~-¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£ £=†~-¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†= HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO =†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~† KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE †~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~ LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨- WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK -¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~ PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~† HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. †~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†= THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. =†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£ £=†~-¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨-~†=££ I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ££=†~-¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨-~†=£££ WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO £££=†~-¨¨¨
¨¨-~†=£££# MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A #£££=†~-¨¨
¨-~†=£££## WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ##£££=†~-¨
¨¨-~†=£££# THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT #£££=†~-¨¨
¨¨¨-~†=£££ VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, £££=†~-¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨-~†=££ BECOME STILL. ££=†~-¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£ £=†~-¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†= == =†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~† == == †~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~ ~~~~~~~ = = ~~~~~~~ ~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨- == == -¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~ == ~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~† †~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†= A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, =†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£ AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M £=†~-¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨-~†=££ BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ££=†~-¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨-~†=£££ STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, £££=†~-¨¨¨
¨¨-~†=£££# CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST #£££=†~-¨¨
¨-~†=£££## FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ##£££=†~-¨
¨¨-~†=£££# SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, #£££=†~-¨¨
¨¨¨-~†=£££ AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. £££=†~-¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨-~†=££ ££=†~-¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£ SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER £=†~-¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†= THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK =†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~† GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND †~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~ I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨- THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? -¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~ ~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~† I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. †~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
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